Fan assembly

ABSTRACT

A fan assembly includes a hollow support rack, a fan, and a shockproof member. The shockproof member is made of vibration-resistant material. The shockproof member defines a through hole. The fan is inserted into the through hole and deforms an inner wall bounding the through hole out. The shockproof member wraps the fan. A combination of the shockproof member and the cooling fan is retained in the support rack.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a fan assembly.

2. Description of Related Art

Fans are needed for a computer and usually mounted on a computer enclosure through screws. During operation, the fans can generate undesirable vibration and cause the computer enclosure to vibrate, thus generating noise. Worse yet, such vibration can adversely affect other components in the enclosure, such as hard disk drives.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a fan assembly.

FIG. 2 is partly assembled, isometric view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an assembled, isometric view of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of examples and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a fan assembly 100 includes a hollow support rack 40, a cooling fan 20, and a shockproof member 60.

The support rack 40 defines a rectangular latching space 42 extending through two opposite side surfaces of the support rack 40.

The cooling fan 20 includes a rectangular and hollow frame 24 and an impeller 22. The frame 24 defines a cylindrical receiving hole 26 for receiving the impeller 22. The frame 24 includes two square end surfaces 25 and a side surface 27 connected between the end surfaces 25. The receiving hole 26 extends through the end surfaces 25. Airflow entering the receiving hole 26 from one of the end surfaces 25 is enhanced by the impeller 22, and exhausts out of the receiving hole 26 through the other end surface 25.

The shockproof member 60 is rectangular, and includes two opposite end surfaces 61 and a side surface 63 connected between the end surfaces 61. The shockproof member 60 defines a through hole 62 extending through the end surfaces 61. The shockproof member 60 is made of vibration-resistant material, such as plastic, and is integrally formed. In the embodiment, the through hole 62 has a square cross-section, and an edge length of the cross-section of the through hole 62 is less than an edge length of the end surfaces 25 of the cooling fan 20. The shockproof member 60 is an entity excepting the through hole 62.

In another embodiment, the through hole 62 has a circular cross-section, and a diameter of the through hole 62 is less than a diagonal length of the end surfaces 25 of the cooling fan 20. The shockproof member 60 is a hollow member excepting the through hole 62.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, in assembly, one of the end surfaces 25 is inserted into the through hole 62 of the shockproof member 60, to deform inner walls bounding the through hole 62. The inner walls bounding the through hole 62 wrap on a middle of the side surface 27. A combination of the shockproof member 60 and the cooling fan 20 is latched into the latching space 42 of the support rack 40. The side surface 63 resiliently abuts an inner surface of the latching space 42.

The shockproof member 60 is located between the cooling fan 20 and the support rack 40. During operation, vibration transferred between the cooling fan 20 and the support rack 40 is reduced, thus reducing computer enclosure vibration noise.

In another embodiment, two opposite ends of the cooling fan 20 are respectively wrapped with two shockproof members 60.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the present disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan assembly, comprising: a hollow support rack; a fan; and a shockproof member defining a through hole; wherein the shockproof member is made of vibration-resistant material, the fan is received in the shockproof member via the through hole and deforms an inner wall bounding the through hole out, the shockproof member wraps the fan, a combination of the shockproof member and the fan is retained in the support rack.
 2. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the support rack defines a latching space extending through two opposite side surfaces of the support rack, the shockproof member is latched in the latching space.
 3. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the fan comprises a rectangular frame, the through hole of the shockproof member has a square cross-section, and an edge length of the cross-section of the through hole is less than an edge length of a cross-section of the fan.
 4. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the fan comprises a rectangular frame, the through hole of the shockproof member has a circular cross-section, and a diameter of the through hole is less than a diagonal line length of an end surface of the fan.
 5. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the shockproof member is an entity excepting the through hole.
 6. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the shockproof member is a hollow member excepting the through hole.
 7. The fan assembly of claim 1, wherein the shockproof member is made of plastic. 